Talent Search Edward's POV
by Stephen King Reincarnated
Summary: A group of vampires go to Forks to find talented humans to turn. This is Talent Search from Edward's POV. Come on, you know you want to read this.


Talent Search (Edward's POV)

I know, I know, I'm an idiot. I have three other stories to update, and I'm rewriting one in a different point of view. So sue me. My subscription to _Masochism Weekly_ didn't come in. This will just fill in the blanks about Edward, and explain more about the _Talent Search _world of vampires. It's a lot more complex than I thought.

Note, this will be the only chapter written from his point of view. It took me five months to write the second chapter of the first one. Do you really want a repeat of that?

I can't wait for March Break.

-

"Do I turn left on Bogachiel Way?" Jasper asked.

I looked up, a faint memory stirring as I surveyed the area. "Turn right after we pass the clothing bank. The high school is on Spartan Avenue," I explained.

"Right," he said, nodding his head and took the correct turn. Eleazar and Alec followed closely behind us.

Emmett sighed impatiently from the front passenger seat. "Hey, Edward, can we go to the arcade while we're here?"

I pinched the bridge of my nose and took a deep breath. Sometimes I wished Emmett would act his age. Of course, if he did that, he would probably be dead. I smirked. "Not a chance. If you want to play video games, you can wait until we get back home tomorrow."

"_If _we get back by then," he corrected. "This place only has about three thousand people. We're not gonna find anything here. Besides, Rose always keeps me busy when I'm home."

I groaned as Emmett pictured exactly what Rosalie did to keep him _busy_. Desperate for a distraction, I closed my eyes and reached out into the minds of the teenagers we were about to visit. They were eating lunch. One girl's thoughts rang louder than all the others.

_Alice Brandon thinks she's so great cause she has a new car. Yellow's a stupid colour anyway, even if it _is _a Porsche. She has Bella wrapped around her finger. Why that girl doesn't see what a freak Brandon is, I'll never figure out._

Accompanying her rambling, vindictive thoughts was a picture of two girls, one short with black, spiky hair, and one taller with brown hair. They were sitting at a cafeteria table, talking quietly. As I watched, the girls stood up and dumped their trays in the garbage. I followed their progress through the shorter girl's thoughts. The brunette was strangely quiet. They entered the bathroom and began to unpack their books.

"What's the test on exactly?" the brunette asked. She had a quiet, sweet voice.

"Disease causing bacteria, if I'm not mistaken," the shorter girl answered.

"That would be a first," the brunette replied. We pulled into the parking lot of Forks High School just as the brunette began to turn the pages. Her thoughts were still too quiet for me to make out.

Suddenly, a picture flashed through the shorter girl's mind. She dropped her book, and my eyes opened in surprise.

She'd seen us.

"Ali!" the brunette yelled, shaking the girl out of her daze.

Her cheeks were wet with tears. I sensed the absolute terror in her thoughts. "Oh, Bella," she moaned. She focussed on the brunette and I got a glimpse of her deep, brown eyes. She sobbed. "They're coming here."

I waited for the brunette, Bella, to question her. Instead, she seemed to understand immediately. "How long do we have?" she asked gravely.

Alice sobbed again. "They just pulled into the parking-lot. They have the talent-sensor, Bella."

How on earth did that girl know that Eleazar was with us? Furthermore, how had she seen our faces just before we arrived?

The bell rang, signalling the end of lunch. I got out of the car. "I'm going to go check something out," I said vaguely. I walked quickly through the halls. The students barely glanced at me as they hurriedly headed to class. I managed to make it to the girl's bathroom without alerting anyone, although this wasn't much of a victory. Humans were so unobservant.

I entered the bathroom silently and leaned against the wall. Alice was hiding in the stall, her thoughts racing in terror.

Bella was packing up their things. She turned around and froze, studying me. She looked behind me at the door and I saw her panic as she realized she was trapped. She obviously knew what I was. I waited for her to scream or faint, but she did neither.

I tilted my head in confusion. Her thoughts were still strangely quiet. "What are you doing in here?" I asked. She would likely give up her friend to save herself. No one wanted to anger a vampire.

Her reaction stunned me. "This is the _girl's _bathroom. What the hell are _you _doing _here?_"I watched as her eyes flashed with chagrin and fear. She watched me carefully.

I laughed.

I couldn't remember the last time I had been taken by surprise. My gift really took the fun out of life sometimes.

I approached her slowly, ready to grab her if she made a break for it. She held still, surprising me yet again. Her heart sped up and she smelled delicious but her mind was still silent. I cocked my head and frowned. I tilted her chin up and looked at her eyes. My cold skin made her shudder, but she didn't move.

"I asked first. What are you doing in here?"

She gulped, finally reacting like a normal human. "My friend was feeling sick."

How odd. She wasn't giving her up. Teenagers were generally only interested in protecting themselves. Their relationship was almost sisterly, although they looked nothing alike. Perhaps they were stepsisters.

"I was going to drive her home," Bella went on. "She gets these really nasty headaches." She cut herself off and stared at my eyes. That was odd too. Humans never liked looking at a vampire's eyes. The blood red colour frightened them, but Bella's gaze never wavered.

I looked over at the bathroom stalls and tilted my head.

_Oh, please don't hurt me. Please don't hurt me. I wanna go home. I want my mommy!_

There was nothing more annoying than a whiny teenager.

"You had better come out of there, Alice," I said. Bella sucked in a breath and her eyes widened in fear.

_No, no! Leave me alone!_

Irritation rushed through me. I wondered if Alice cared enough for Bella to help her. I dug my fingers into Bella's hair and tugged. Bella let out a squeak of pain, but clamped her lips shut. I guessed that she didn't want to appear weak.

Alice made no move to exit the stall, so I resorted to threats. "If you're not out here in ten seconds, I'll come in after you. Trust me; you wouldn't like that, Alice."

Predictably, she sobbed and opened the stall. She wrapped her arms around herself as she saw me. Terror made her thoughts difficult to read. "Please don't hurt her. She was just trying to help me."

Her pleading tone irritated me, but I did as she asked. I predicted that Bella would make a run for the door, not that she would make it, but she surprised me once again by running to Alice. She wrapped her arm around Alice's shoulders, and suddenly, Alice's thoughts were as silent as hers.

Bella looked at Alice, confusion on her face. Her eyes seemed to focus on some detail that I couldn't see. She blinked and looked back at me.

My frown deepened as I realized there were now two people I couldn't hear, not that I minded not having to listen to Alice's whining. It was disturbing nonetheless. My gift made me a dangerous addition to Master Aro's Guard. If it was failing for some reason…

I allowed myself to listen to the hundreds of thoughts in the school. The rest rang out clear as day, but Alice and Bella stayed silent. I took a step towards them, and smiled smugly when Alice shrieked. Emmett liked to tease me about my less-than-intimidating appearance. It was nice to know that I still scared _someone_, even if it was just a stupid little girl.

Bella surprised me once again by glaring at me. I could see the hate in her eyes. She didn't like me making fun of her friend. I glared back, waiting for her to back down.

She didn't.

Surprise came back full force, and this time I felt the foreign sense of respect. I had never met such a brave human. Her anger made her seem like a furious kitten, but it gave her the strength to risk a vampire's wrath.

I lifted my hand and curved my finger in a come-hither gesture. I turned around; ready to catch her if she tried to make a break for it. She was smarter than most humans; she didn't run.

What she _did _do, though, was stumble. It was like her toes caught every crack in the floor. I chuckled, and felt her burning, angry gaze on my back.

I led them to the gym. Eleazar was conversing with the principal of the school. The man appeared terrified, but he was making an effort not to annoy anyone. Perhaps the people of Forks were smarter than average humans.

I opened the gym door and gestured for them to go in first. Bella's expression filled with dread as she saw the others. The principal saw them and horror crossed his face. He made a conscious decision not to feel anything for the girls and let his expression go blank. Bella seemed to understand. She looked away from him and her sharp eyes observed the others.

"I can't believe I was ever a teenager," Jasper was saying to Emmett. "The only emotions they seem to have are boredom, and arousal."

Emmett threw his head back and laughed. Bella stared at him first, and then at Jasper. She narrowed her eyes and looked at Eleazar, and finally Alec. She bit her lip nervously as she looked at him, almost as if she could sense how dangerous the boy really was. Ridiculous, of course. No one ever guessed what Alec could do, not until it was too late anyway.

The boy in question looked up and smiled. "Edward, where were you?" He noticed the two girls a second later and studied them. _Something interesting?_

Alice shuddered and leaned in closer to Bella. "He traps you inside nothing," she whispered. "But I don't think he can touch you, Bella," she continued, sounding confused.

Well, that was interesting.

Emmett and Jasper stopped talking and stared at them. Bella held Alice tightly and looked at the ground.

_Edward, what's going on?_

_You're kidding me, right?_

I brushed passed them. "I found these two in the bathroom-"

"In the _girl's_ bathroom," Bella interrupted.

I turned around and glared at her. She glared back. Emmett intruded into our staring contest with a laugh. "Having gender issues, Edward?" Bella's mouth twitched at his comment, but she didn't look away from me.

I continued. "They were hiding. The smaller one knew we were coming."

"How did you know that, squirt?" Emmett asked. Unsurprisingly, Alice remained quiet.

Bella looked up at him. "She can see the future," she admitted.

"Whoa! Seriously?" he grinned. "That's awesome."

Bella raised an eyebrow at him incredulously.

I smothered the urge to laugh and got down to business. "And I can't read her mind." I pointed at Bella and she froze. "She's blocking off the other one as well. Eleazar?" I asked. "Can you get a reading on either of them?"

Eleazar focussed his mind as I watched through his thoughts. He stared at the girls, shifting his head back and forth, as he tried to see around…_something_. It looked like a layer of dim light surrounded them. His eyes widened. "I can't get a read on either of them," he said in amazement.

"How about now?" I asked. I grabbed Bella's arm and pulled her away from Alice. Alice's thoughts awoke thunderously. She shrieked and Bella struggled to get to her. I held her still; amazed that she was still fighting. A normal person would have broken down by now. Alice didn't seem too enthused with our meeting.

Jasper let out a wave of calm and settled the girls down. Bella looked at him strangely, but I shook it off. It took Jasper decades to realize his talents. No human girl could catch onto something so subtle so quickly.

_Ay caray! Precognition! Remote-viewing! How has this girl not been noticed?_

"Not only can she see the future," Eleazar explained in awe. "But she can also see things that are happening around the world at the present moment. It's called remote-viewing." He then turned his attention to the struggling girl in my arms. "She's still blocking me, but…" I saw the layer of white light surrounding her in Eleazar's mind. He looked at me, sensing my mind-reading ability clearly. "I can still sense you, Edward. She can control it, select who to block, I mean."

That was good enough for me. I let her go and she stumbled toward Alice. She wrapped her arm around her and Alice's thoughts were silenced. So, she needed physical contact to use it. That was interesting.

Eleazar sighed. "And now I can't sense either of them. How _are _you doing that?" he asked Bella.

Bella's blank expression mystified me. Surely, she knew that she was doing something. It took a lot of effort to use most talents, especially for a human.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm not doing anything."

_Imposible._ Eleazar thought in Spanish while shaking his head. "She doesn't even know she's doing it."

"Doing what?!" Bella shouted, surprising the others. She didn't sound hysterical. She sounded annoyed.

"Shielding," Eleazar replied, trying to calm her down.

Alec chose that moment to speak up. "You mean like Renata?" he asked, thinking of the timid but powerful addition to the Guard.

"Something like that," he conceded. "Although to be controlling it without even knowing…" he trailed off and shook his head again. "Master Aro is going to be very pleased, Edward."

Alice sobbed and Bella shushed her. She bit her lip again and her eyes narrowed in anger. I saw the light around them brighten through Eleazar's mind, and curiosity took hold. "Alec?" I tilted my head in Bella's direction.

He was only too pleased to be of assistance. He smiled at Bella as she stared at him warily. Alice shuddered and Bella stroked her hair as if she was a startled horse. Alec's smile faded as he concentrated. A shimmering, hazy mist appeared. It was invisible to the girls, but Bella's mouth twisted into a grimace as it touched them, as if she tasted something bad. She seemed aware of her surroundings, but I had to be sure.

"Can you hear me?"

She looked at me. "Of course I can."

I smiled. "And what about you, Alice?" I didn't expect her to respond, but she nodded her head, not looking at me. "Amazing. You can stop now, Alec."

The mist retreated and Bella relaxed.

"We're done here." I said. "Thank you for your cooperation, Mr. Melina." As if the man had a choice. He nodded stiffly, already trying to think about how he would explain this to the girls' parents. Bella's face crumbled, and I recognized the signs of an impending tear-fest, but she swallowed and calmed herself.

Jasper and Emmett flanked me. "Eleazar, you and Alec take the Volvo," I ordered. "We'll take the Vanquish." They ran off too quickly for the humans to see.

I reached to take Bella's arm, but she twisted away with a glare. "We can walk on our own."

I chuckled as I remembered her tripping through the hallway. "How do I know you're not planning on running off?" Not like I couldn't catch you.

She looked down, defeated. "Well it's not like you couldn't catch us."

I narrowed my eyes at her in surprise. It was almost as if she had read my mind. Now I knew why people were disturbed by me. It was unnerving.

I smiled and went ahead with Emmett. They fell into step behind us with Jasper bringing up the rear. Classes were in session, and hundreds of bored students were fantasizing about being anywhere but here.

One of the doors opened as a student walked out with the attendance. I recognized her, from the sound of her thoughts, as the one who had led me to Bella and Alice. I would have to thank her sometime.

Like a normal human, she froze at the sight of us. Her mouth dropped open as she looked behind me. _Bella Alice oh my god!_

Bella looked just as worried. "Go!" she mouthed. The girl needed no more prodding and quickly stumbled back inside. I chuckled and looked back at Bella. I heard the girl's manic ramblings as she tried to explain to the others what she'd seen. The teacher looked out the window and stared at our backs. He paled and told his students to get to work on their test. He waited until we were outside before he took the panicking girl to the office. She pulled out her phone and began texting half the school. It started a chain reaction as everyone realized that vampires were in town, and that two kids had been taken.

Bella shivered as we walked outside. Snowflakes landed in her hair. I led the way to the Vanquish. The Volvo was already on its way to the plane. I couldn't say I liked people all that much, but they did know how to ride in style.

Emmett and Jasper got in the front while I sat in the back. Bella seemed to contemplate something before she switched arms and sat in the middle seat, tugging Alice behind her. It seemed she didn't want Alice anywhere near me. Oh well, that was fine with me.

She leaned over and closed the door, and then started to put Alice's seatbelt on. Silly girl. Didn't she know how well vampires drove? "She doesn't need a seatbelt."

She ignored me and buckled the girl in. I sighed in annoyance as she reached for her own seatbelt. I grabbed her wrist to stop her. She looked up and glared at me. "I _said _you don't need them." I allowed her to yank her hand away in a huff.

"_Fine_." She turned away and ran her fingers through Alice's hair again. The tiny girl's spikes were almost gone. She looked like a drowned rat.

The ride was painfully silent as we made it out of town. I finally gave into temptation and asked Jasper to turn on the radio. A country song came on and I groaned in irritation. "Change it," I ordered.

"Press number 3, Clair de Lune is playing."

I looked over at Alice. She was still buried in Bella's shirt. It was a wonder she didn't just push her away. All those tears were making it damp. I nodded at Jasper and he pressed the button. Just as Alice predicted, Clair de Lune was indeed playing.

_Whoa_. Emmett thought, and voiced it the next second. I smiled and leaned back, satisfied with the music. Alice's abilities were quite amazing. My leg brushed up against Bella's and I felt her flinch away, tensing. I chuckled and began drumming the notes of the song on my thigh.

The tension was too much for Jasper, so he released another wave of calm. Bella looked up, suspicion clear on her face. She locked eyes with Jasper in the rear-view mirror. "Are you doing that?"

I looked at her. No way, not a chance. She couldn't possibly have figured that out so soon.

"Doing what?" Jasper asked. He was uncomfortable, I sensed.

"Calming us down. You are doing that, aren't you?" she asked. I saw that she was hesitant. That made Jasper less unsettled and he answered with a nod of his head. "Thank you," she said.

I snickered. We had kidnapped this girl and her friend and were taking her to her own damnation, and she was _thanking_ one of us! There was something wrong with this girl's head.

"She shouldn't have to be so upset," Jasper replied. His eyes trailed over Alice's figure with a longing gaze. I wondered if Bella had picked up on Jasper's affection for her friend.

Suddenly, Alice jerked her head up and shrieked, "_BREAKS!_" Jasper reacted more quickly than any human could as another driver passed us too closely. He slammed on the breaks and pulled onto the side of the road. Bella nearly slammed through the windshield. I reached out and grabbed her, pulling her into my lap.

I growled. "That idiot is lucky we're in a hurry." I had a sudden, vivid vision of me reaching through his chest and ripping out his heart. I wasn't normally a very pleasant person to be around, but this anger was unnatural.

"Can I put my seatbelt on now, please?" Bella breathed. Her heart was pounding wildly. My mouth filled with venom as I realized how close my teeth were to her throat…how close my hands were to her breasts.

I quickly let go of her and she shakily put her seatbelt on. She wrapped an arm around Alice. I sensed her absolute terror through Jasper's thoughts, but I also sensed Bella's resolve and determination. A second later, she was calmly stroking Alice's hair and telling her everything would be all right.

"Jasper," I said, my voice hard with fury. "Keep your goddamn eyes on the road, or I'll rip your head off. I do not want these girls hurt at all. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir," he replied.

We got back on the road and lapsed into silence. We lost the station on the radio and didn't bother to change it. Alice began to doze off and Bella leaned her against her seatbelt. She rubbed her shoulder and I wondered if she was in pain. But if she was in pain, why was she trying so desperately to take care of Alice? It didn't make sense. I tried fruitlessly to break through her shield, but was rewarded with nothing but silence. I hadn't realized how difficult it was to read people when you couldn't hear their thoughts.

She turned around and glared at me, as if sensing my gaze. "What?"

I was startled, but recovered quickly. "What are you thinking?" I asked. It was a relief to get the words out.

I saw her mouth open a smidge, before she clamped it shut and turned away.

My eyes narrowed in anger and I grabbed her. "I asked you a question."

She replied smartly, "I'd tell you, but my mother always said that if I can't say something nice, I shouldn't say anything at all. _So vada via cretino!_"

Get lost, jerk? Why that little…

I tightened my grip on her arm and watched in delight as she bit her lip, her face twisting in pain.

Of course, Emmett had to ruin my fun by laughing. "_God_, Edward. You sure have a way with the ladies. No wonder you're still a virgin." Thanks, Emmett.

He turned around and grinned at Bella. "I'm Emmett by the way."

I crossed my arms and sulked. What? Did he expect her to say _hi?_

"Hi," she replied softly.

Oh, for the _love_ of _all_ that is _holy!_

"Are you always so abrasive?" he asked, honest curiosity in his thoughts.

Bella frowned and looked at Alice. "Only when my best friend and I are being kidnapped by vampires."

Emmett laughed again. "Wow! Usually you guys act more like her," he said, pointing to Alice.

Yes, most of the teenagers we took had to be calmed by Jasper constantly or else Alec needed to cut off their senses. Even young men were known to burst into tears. How pathetic.

"Well it's not like crying will do me any good," she pointed out. "Besides, how am I supposed to look after her if I start freaking out?"

Emmett's thoughts showed his confusion, and curiosity took hold as I looked at her.

"You're very protective of her, aren't you?' I asked. I didn't really expect a response, but Bella was always full of surprises.

She sighed heavily, as if the conversation was tiring her out. "I have to be. How would you feel if you knew every horrible thing that was going to happen to you?" She turned to me suddenly, desperation brimming in her eyes. "She doesn't deserve this. Why don't you just let her go home? Her visions are subjective. She can't even "see" anything unless you make a decision. If she'd known you were coming, do you honestly think you would have found us? I've figured out plenty of ways to get around them, and so could anyone else. Why don't you just take me and let her go home? She's all her mother has left. Her father's going to feel so guilty for leaving her." Her voice began to crack as her emotions got out of hand. I wondered if she was finally going to start crying, but instead, she wiped away her tears and locked her eyes onto me. "Please let her go."

_Please let her go._

She didn't say, _please let _us_ go_. She didn't care about herself. She was selfless.

Her bottom lip trembled and a tear began to trail down her cheek. I lifted a hand and wiped it away. I brushed a lock of her hair back behind her ear. "Amazing. An actual, decent, human being."

_Edward? What are you doing?_

I ignored Emmett completely as I stared at Bella's face. I was surprised by my own lack of vision. I couldn't believe I hadn't noticed how beautiful she was when I had first seen her. Her dark hair and eyes contrasted with her pale, flawless skin. Her face was heart-shaped which was emphasized by a widow's peak. Her lips were somewhat off balanced, but the flaw was hardly worth noting. All in all, she was perhaps the most beautiful human I had ever met. I couldn't wait to see what she looked like after the change.

"You'll have to forgive me when I say I can't let your friend go. She's far too valuable, not as much as you, but still." I smirked as she glared at me. Her cheeks flushed red.

"She's _not _a possession. Anyway, don't you people have enough power-hungry humans begging to be changed? Why do you have to go after innocent kids?"

While it was true that their were thousands of people, mostly dictators of small countries, or just wealthy people who wanted to live forever, who begged Aro to change them, he rarely agreed unless they caught his interest. Bella was being offered the chance to live forever young and beautiful and she was determined to go down fighting. Why did she insist on making things difficult?

I gripped her hair tightly and watched as her eyes welled up with pain. "Because, _Bella_, none of those "power-hungry humans" as you so aptly described them have _one thousandth_ of the potential that you and Alice do. If you weren't so valuable, do you honestly think you'd still be alive after the way you've been speaking to me?"

The angry red flush on her cheeks brightened. "Oh, am I _bothering_ you? I'm _so _sorry. I wasn't aware that being taken hostage by a frigging _leech _requires me to develop my refinement."

Unbeknownst to Bella, Alice began to stir. She blinked blearily, still trapped in her dream, but she soon realized what was happening. She froze as she listened to Bella.

"If you don't like the way I've been speaking to you, why don't you just kill me? Cause I'd rather be dead than have to spend another minute with you!"

God, she was beautiful! Even when her face was twisted with hate, she still managed to look innocent. And brave. I had never met anyone so brave in all my life. Leech, indeed.

I smiled widely and tucked her hair back into place. Alice stared at me in horror from over Bella's shoulder. She mouthed the word _no_, and shut her eyes tightly. I listened to her thoughts as she tried to see if there was any way for them to escape. Naturally, there wasn't.

"You're very beautiful when you're angry. Did you know that?" I asked.

"Bite me!" she grumbled, glaring at me.

I leaned closer and held her face still. Her eyes widened as she realized she was trapped. Alice's breathing picked up as she saw me kissing Bella right then and there. She saw Bella struggle and start to cry. She also saw Emmett move to stop me.

It didn't surprise me when Emmett stopped me, nor was I particularly angry. There was no privacy in this cramped, little car and I wasn't sure if I would be able to stop with just a kiss.

I twined a lock of Bella's hair around my fingers and released her. She shifted away, more disturbed by me than ever. Perhaps her fear would make her a little more laconic. Her mouth was going to get her in trouble one day.

Bella looked at Alice. The tiny girl was about to have hysterics. She could see, with perfect clarity, how she was going to scream when the venom was inside her. "It's going to _hurt_," she whimpered.

"Yes, it will," I confirmed, smiling at the thought of Bella's completely helpless form. I wondered if her screams would ruin the mood if I tried to kiss her during the change.

Bella wrapped her arm around Alice and instantly her thoughts cut off. "Shut up," she said, glaring at me. Her bravery was back now that her friend was suffering. It was fascinating how she could be so reckless with her own life, if only to protect others.

I leaned closer, wanting to see how far I could push her before she broke down. "It's going to feel like you're being burned alive. You're going to be _begging _for death. It'll go on for days, and when it stops…" I lifted my hand to her neck and traced her pulse point. "all that pain will end up right here. If you were locked in a room with your own mother, you'd be willing to tear her throat out just to make the pain go away."

It was true. Newborn thirst was by far the most uncontrollable thing about vampires. Their emotions were wilder, and their thoughts were usually difficult to keep track of, but these things were easily dealt with. Still, there were a lot of cases where newly-changed vampires wandered home only to slaughter their loved ones. I wondered how Bella would take it if I let her kill her mother. With so much compassion in her, she would probably break completely.

Bella shut her eyes and I sensed through Jasper's mind that she was close to crying again.

Unfortunately, Jasper had to go and ruin my fun.

"We're here," he said, clearly relieved. He didn't enjoy it when I antagonized captured humans, but what else was there to do entertainment wise?

I climbed out of the car and got on the airplane. Eleazar and Alec looked up from their books and smiled in greeting. I nodded at them and sat down at my desk. I picked up the phone as Emmett led the girls inside and dialled the number for Volterra.

"_Buona sera. Questa é Volterra_," a woman's voice greeted. Gianna was Aro's newest pet secretary. Occasionally, he needed a human to keep track of things for him. Gianna could slink around without drawing the attention that a vampire would.

"Gianna, this is Edward Cullen."

"_Signore _Edward! Such a pleasure to hear from you," Gianna replied. I heard a shuffle of footsteps in the background. "What may I do for you?"

"I need to speak with Jane."

No sooner had I uttered the words that Jane was speaking. "Are you coming back?" she asked.

"Yes," I replied, allowing myself to smile. "I think I've found something interesting."

"Really," Jane's tone was dry, but that was hardly unusual. "I can't wait." I hung up just in time to see Bella scoping out the room. The décor was supposed to put humans at ease, but it generally failed. More than once, Emmett had to drag a screaming teenager inside. Bella was much more dignified.

I pulled out some papers and began to write down what I knew about the girls. Emmett led them into the back room and explained the basics. I shook my head when he mentioned the lack of razors, and then chuckled when he noticed Bella shudder.

When the talent searches were in their infancy, we had some _accidents_ involving desperate people. Bella didn't seem like the type of person to kill herself, though.

Bella thanked him and Emmett locked them inside. He sat down on the couch next to Jasper and frowned at me. "You didn't have to do that, you know," he said. "It's hard enough keeping them calm without you trying to scare everyone."

I shrugged, remorseless. "I wanted to see how far I could push her. I have to admit, I'm impressed."

_She's weird,_ Emmett thought. "There's something off about Bella."

Alec and Eleazar looked up. "What makes you say that?" Eleazar asked.

"She figured out what I could do," Jasper replied. "It was very unusual. It took Maria years to understand what was happening. She's quite…perceptive."

Alec stared at the door. "She looked at me strangely too," he murmured. "almost as if she knew."

_Like she was staring into my soul_, he mentally continued.

I snorted. "What soul?" I asked rhetorically. No one bothered to reply.

"I wish I could get a better sense of her shield," Eleazar said wistfully. "Comparing her to Renata hardly does her justice. Renata's ability is more physical. Bella's seems to be mental, and it's much more powerful."

"You've always had more difficulty sensing human abilities. Once she's changed, it will be easier," I told him.

The pilot, a human male from a war-torn country stepped out of the cockpit. "We're taking off now," he said, averting his eyes from us. Jasper nodded at him and he scurried away. His co-pilot was sipping coffee and thinking about his wife. I quickly blocked out his thoughts when they turned risqué.

I smirked as I felt Alice lose hold of what little control she had left. She curled up in the corner and started to cry. Bella was in the shower, so there was no one to calm her. Jasper attempted to, but I shot him a look. I wanted to see how Bella reacted.

Sure enough, when she stepped out of the bathroom, she quickly wrapped her arms around the girl. Alice's thoughts cut off and Eleazar frowned subtly. Their voices rang out through the door.

"Oh, Bella. I just remembered, I didn't tell my mom that I loved her this morning," Alice lamented.

"Good grief," I snickered.

"It's okay, Ali. She knows you love her. Moms always know that. They're practically psychic about that kind of thing," Bella was quick to reassure her.

"_Psychic_!" Alice scoffed. "I should've seen that they were coming. I'm so sorry Bella. Maybe if you'd left me there, they would've just found me."

_Not likely_, I thought. Even if Bella _had _left, I would have hunted her down.

"Hey," she whispered soothingly. "There's no way I would've left you. You know that, Alice." She paused. "At least we didn't have to take that quiz in biology."

I actually laughed at that. What was wrong with that girl's head? Her thoughts went to strange places.

Alice laughed, cracking under the pressure. "I was such a bitch to my step-mom. Maybe if I'd been nicer, she would've let me stay for a few more days, and then they wouldn't have found me. I can't believe I nicknamed my baby sister after the Loch Ness Monster!"

Perhaps Bella wasn't so strange. Alice seemed to be losing her mind as well. It was getting annoying.

Alice sobbed. "Principal Melina just called my mom. She's screaming. My dad just punched a wall. He broke one of his fingers. Charlie wants to kill himself. Renée fainted."

I stood up, finally sick of listening to that child and opened the door. Bella and Alice were curled up in the corner, near the entertainment center.

"Can't you get her to shut up?" I asked, irritated. Alice shrunk away from me in fear.

Bella released Alice and glared at me. "_GO TO HELL!_" she shouted. She reached for the shelf blindly, picked up a movie, and threw it.

I held out my hand and snatched it from the air, trying to hide my surprise. No one had ever thrown anything. Bella herself looked shocked. She probably wasn't the type to use violence. She seemed more like the verbal debater to me. She looked at me wearily as I set down the video. "Just keep it down." I locked the door behind me and sat back at my desk.

Emmett was searching through the shelves for a movie. "You're girlfriend's pissed," he said.

I looked at him, widening my eyes in fake surprise. "No, you think?" I asked sarcastically. He chuckled and kept searching.

Alice's thoughts took a strange turn as she started mentally singing _The Song That Never Ends._ I frowned, confused, until I realized the reason.

Smart girl. She was already learning how to block me. Oh, well, there were worse songs.

Bella laughed. "Try singing "I'm Henry the 8th I am. It's more irritating."

Like that one.

"But if you really want to, I can block him out again."

Alice's thoughts turned speculative. "How do you do it?" The others stopped what they were doing to listen.

I saw Bella shrug through Alice's eyes. "I just did it. I'm not even trying to do anything." She paused. "I get this really weird tingly feeling on my skin when I'm doing it, though. And I kept seeing this white light all around you." She shook her head. "I don't know."

"Interesting," Eleazar murmured.

Emmett checked his watch and stood up. "I'm gonna go see if they're hungry."

Alice's thoughts cut off and I listened intently. "I don't see any light. I _do _kind of feel warm. It's a funny kind of warmth, actually."

_So, it has a subtle physical manifestation. _Eleazar frowned.

Emmett opened the door. "You guys want something to eat?" he asked.

I saw Alice and Bella exchange a look. It reminded me, strangely, of Alec and Jane's connection, as if the girl's were reading each other's minds.

"Eggs," they answered.

"Sunny side up," Bella clarified. "And four…" She looked at Alice and the girl nodded, "yeah, four slices of toast. Please."

Emmett thoughts must have been in line with mine, because he asked, "Can you read minds or something?"

Bella stared at him in confusion. "Uh…no. Why?"

He shook his head. "Nothing." He left, shutting the door behind him. "I'm telling you man, there's something weird about her." He walked over to the kitchen area and started cooking.

Alice giggled. I looked up, surprised.

"What?" Bella asked.

"I keep forgetting how perceptive you are. It's freaking them out. They can't understand how you know so much about them, like when you guessed Jasper's talent." So, she was watching us as well. That was interesting.

"Well, it was kind of obvious," Bella replied. She sounded uncomfortable.

"It wasn't to _me_," Alice insisted. "and _I'm _supposed to be the psychic. I didn't know what the heck was going on with me."

"Well, you were a little out of it."

The stopped talking and began to watch a movie. Emmett walked back into the room with their eggs. "No knives, right Emmett?" I asked.

He rolled his eyes. "I know, I know." He walked into their room and served them their food.

They stayed quiet throughout their meal, and soon Alice was hunting through the closet for pyjamas. Bella _did _look tired, but then again, teenagers rarely slept well during school days. Alice held up a long, white nightgown, but Bella shook her head. Too bad, it would have looked good on her.

Alice went into the bathroom to change. When she came back, I saw that Bella had left the lamp on, and that she had taken the bed closest to the door. I didn't know what exactly she hoped to accomplish by that. It wasn't as if she could fight us off if we wanted to get to Alice.

Bella pulled her blankets over her head and curled into a ball. Alice blinked blearily, thinking off her newborn sister.

Emmett wandered in and took their dishes to the sink. I hoped they'd enjoyed their last meal, as humans anyway.

Alice drifted off and dreamt about taking a blue-eyed seven-year-old out on their bikes. Bella's voice entered her mind as she dreamed.

_Leave her alone. Damn it. Don't you hurt her._

It took me a few seconds to realize that it wasn't Alice's dream I was listening to, but Bella's voice.

She talked in her sleep.

"Don't you…er, you son of a bitch," she murmured.

Emmett laughed. "She does _not _like you, Ed."

"She'll get over it," I predicted. "How long until we land?"

Jasper looked at his watch. "Maybe…half an hour."

I stood up. "I'll tell them."

Emmett gave me an ironic smile. "Don't give 'em nightmares now."

I chuckled and opened the door. Bella had thrown her blankets off while she was dreaming. I stood near the door and shut it with a slam.

Bella shot up and covered her mouth. A whimper escaped her as she looked around.

"Did you know that you talk in your sleep?" I asked casually.

Bella's face turned beet red as she scowled at me. "Yes!" she spat, getting out of bed.

I tilted my head to the side, smiling. "I wasn't aware that I'd angered you so much." A lie; I _knew_ she didn't like me, but it was fun to wind her up.

"Well, I'm sure whatever I said, you deserve it."

Alice woke up then, stretching her arms.

_What's going on?_ she thought dreamily. She looked around, confused, and then she saw me. She shrunk away in terror. _No!_

"Is there something you need?" Bella asked haughtily, drawing my attention away from Alice.

I looked at her, smiling smugly. "We'll be landing in about half an hour. Try to look presentable."

"Sure, I'll get right on that," she replied mockingly.

I laughed, amused, and left the room.

Emmett shook with laughter as he put the movie back on the shelf. "I like her. She's funny."

Alec smiled hesitantly, aware that he was on the fringes of our group. Generally, only Jasper, Emmett, Eleazar and I went as a group, but Alec had needed some time away from Volterra. It got boring being cooped up in a castle all the time.

The plane landed and we went to wait outside. Emmett stayed behind just in case Bella decided to try to hijack the plane. I wouldn't put it past her.

Bella led Alice down the steps. She took in her surroundings, studying the layout of the city. Alice huddled closer to her.

I led the way to the Volturi Castle. The others surrounded the girls just in case they tried to run. I doubted they would. Bella was too smart for that.

The two guards inside heard our approach and opened the doors. They stood behind the doors, blending into the darkness because of their dark cloaks. I guided the way to the center of the castle where the main hall was.

Gianna came into view, smiling pleasantly at us. "Master Aro said to head right in," she said from behind her desk.

"Good, I hate long waits," Bella muttered sarcastically.

I chuckled and led the way down another hallway to the large wooden doors of the Hall. Jane stood next to them. She smiled widely as we approached, surveying the girls with some interest. No one had ever brought back two humans before. It was an exceptionally well done job if I do say so.

"Edward, it's so good to have you back." She looked around me towards Alec. "Hello, brother. You seem excited." It was true; Alec's association with me would be good for him. Jane generally got more respect, even though Alec could be much more dangerous.

Jane looked at Alice and Bella. She cocked her head to the side.

_Killed two birds with one stone. Excellent work._

"My, my, Master Aro sent you out for one and you come back with…one and a half," she commented, laughing.

Bella glared at Jane, angry at the insult to her friend. Honestly, Alice _was _pretty short.

Jane reacted by sending out a powerful strike of her power. Bella didn't even flinch. She looked at Alice and her eyes unfocussed. Eleazar's gaze narrowed on her. The dim layer of light he could perceive appeared to brighten in response to Jane's attack.

I smiled at Bella. "I told you we had something interesting, Jane."

Jane pouted mentally, and opened the doors for us. Bella bit her lip as she stepped inside. Alice clutched her shirt and whimpered quietly. Jasper used his ability to calm her down and Bella shot him a grateful look. I wondered how nice she would be to him if she knew he wanted her little friend for himself.

Jane closed the doors behind us and headed to the back room to find my masters.

Rosalie dashed toward us and wrapped her arms around Emmett. He spun her around and kissed her. "Missed you, Babe."

He set her down. "Missed you too, Monkey Man," she replied. She spared me a quick glance. _Edward_, she thought, none to friendly.

A much happier voice greeted me next. "Edward, dear!" my mother, Esme called. She wrapped her arms around me as if I had been gone for years. Eighty years later, and she still loved me the most.

"Esme," I replied. I smiled at her with affection.

Carlisle followed behind Esme. He wrapped his arms around her waist. "It's good to see you again, Edward," he said.

I saw Bella's eyes widen as she looked at him. I remembered her studying the picture on the plane, and realized she must recognize him. Her expression changed to one of derision and Alice suddenly giggled.

Bella looked down at her, as if worried. Alice shook her head back and forth, trying hard to fight a smile. She seemed to be communicating something to Bella. I was once again reminded of Jane and Alec.

Bella seemed to sense our gazes. She looked up as Alice buried her face into Bella's shoulder.

"Carlisle, this is Bella and Alice. I found them in Forks, Washington. You're not going to believe what they can do."

_Very young. Teenagers. And something about that girl…_

"How old are you?" Carlisle asked. Of course, he would be worried about their youth. Alice didn't seem very old, maybe fifteen or sixteen. Bella was probably eighteen, maybe older. Maybe she had been held back a year in school, though it didn't seem likely.

"We're both seventeen," Bella answered, surprising me.

I tilted my head. "You don't seem seventeen."

She snorted. The sound caught the attention of a few of the others. They were now listening closely. None of them had ever heard a human laugh while in Volterra. "I'm a little too young to be lying about my age."

Carlisle and Esme smiled, surprised.

_She's brave._ Esme echoed my thoughts from earlier.

Emmett threw his head back and laughed loudly. He grinned at Bella, which didn't even scare her, and turned to Carlisle and Esme. "She's hilarious! You should've heard her earlier." He laughed again. "She had Edward ready to kill her in less than an hour. Even if she _is _just a fluke, I hope Master Aro let's us keep her around for the entertainment value. She might balance out Edward's crappy moods."

I forgot; why was I keeping him alive again?

Alice surprised me by speaking. "She's not a fluke."

Emmett jerked his head in her direction, "She's not as fun."

I could tell that Bella was trying hard not to frown. She distracted herself by looking around the room again, studying the others with her sharp, knowing eyes.

Alice whimpered, drawing her attention. "They're coming." I looked at her in confusion, even as Bella seemed to grasp what she was saying. They had another of their silent conversations, which ended when Bella looked up toward the back doors.

Oh, of course. The others all turned in sync as we heard the quiet approach of the three brothers.

_The child knew. How strange. The Cullen boy seems to have found something worth noting._

_Pretty brown eyes. Very innocent._

I locked eyes with Felix and glared at him, daring him to continue along that line of thought. He grinned in defiance, but pulled his attention away from her and watched as the back doors opened. My masters approached. Caius and Marcus took their seats as Aro continued down the steps. I stepped forward to meet him, smiling.

"Edward," Aro greeted. "Jane tells me you having something interesting." His eyes shifted to Alice and Bella. He looked at them, confused.

_Two children. Edward, what have you brought for me?_

"I think you'll be quite pleased with what I've brought you, Master," I said eagerly. "Although, it might be easier to show you." I turned around and snapped my fingers to catch Jasper's attention. "Bring Alice first."

Alice's breath caught in her throat. She sobbed into Bella's shoulder again. "Go ahead, Ali," she told her, disentangling her arms from her waist.

_-the eighth I am. __**This won't end well.**__ Henery the eighth I am, I am. __**Bella's going to hate me for this.**__ I got married to the widow next door. __**I want to go home! **__She's been married seven times before-_

Jasper gave her his hand and led her toward my master and me. Tears ran down Alice's cheeks.

_And every one was a Henery! __**I have to figure out how to save her. **__She wouldn't have a Willy or a Sam. __**Jake will just die when he finds out. **__I'm her eighth old man. I'm Henery. _

I wondered who _Jake _was, and then thought better of it. I didn't think Aro would appreciate it if I went to hunt down one of Bella's old boyfriends out of jealousy.

I looked beyond Alice and stared at Bella. She was grinding her teeth audibly. Her fists clenched rhythmically as she watched Alice.

Aro smiled down at her kindly and lifted a hand. Alice knew what to do and she knew what would happen. She lifted one shaking hand and let Aro touch her.

Instantly, I was assaulted with Alice's every memory; her first visions when she was only a child; her isolation from the superstitious town of Forks; Bella's arrival.

(My name's Alice Brandon. I just know we're going to be best friends forever.)

(Bella! Look out! The van!)

(How did you know that would happen, Alice?)

(All right, so you have visions. Do you know how to control them?)

(Okay, I'm going to try to trigger a vision. You tell me what's going to happen.)

(You're going to take me shopping.)

(Where?)

(I don't know. The visions keep changing. How are you doing that?)

(By changing the decisions. You change the outcome. Nothing is ever written in stone.)

A new vision hit her as Aro and I watched. Bella and Alice, their skin pale and beautiful, their eyes glowing red, running through a forest, laughing.

Bella turned around and laughed.

(Come on, Alice!)

(Your legs are longer than mine are. Wait up!)

Aro opened his eyes and stared down at Alice in awe.

_Amazing. This child can see the future._

He reached out to touch her face, but Alice jerked back, anticipating it. "Don't fret, young one." He turned to me. "I'm _very _impressed, son. She'll be an excellent addition. I can only imagine how powerful she'll be when the transformation is complete." His gaze left Alice's face and landed on Bella. His lips quirked, "Speaking of power…I wonder how strong her shield really is."

_Shield? Like Renata?_

_Oh, this should be interesting._

_I wonder if she'd like to spar with me after she's changed._

_Cullen's done well for himself._

Jasper took Alice's hand and led her back to Bella. She stared at the floor, revulsion flooding her mind. _Henery the eighth I am, I am. __**That bastard.**__ Henery the eighth I am. _

"It's won't work," Alice muttered to Bella. I saw a vision of Aro staring at Bella in frustration. Interesting. Aro's abilities were far more advanced than mine were. There probably wasn't a mind-reader on the planet that could get into her head.

Bella's face flashed with guilt as she realized what Alice meant. She was very good at that. I almost wondered if she really _could _read minds.

I darted over to her and attempted to take arm. She would have none of it and walked determinedly towards Aro on her own. Aro was just as amused by her as I was. She held out her hand as if it was a great honour to touch her. That kittenish anger was more prominent on her face than any other emotion.

Aro reached out and touched her hand. He expected the usual rush of pictures and words that he received with everyone else, but he was met with silence.

_What? That is impossible. She's still human for goodness sake!_

Almost as if she could hear the words, Bella started to smirk. She managed to repress it, though. Finally, Aro released her hand, satisfied that she was indeed a shield.

"Amazing. A child who can see everything and another who lets nothing out." He brought a finger up to his mouth and began tapping his lips. "So, Bella was it?" he asked. She nodded wearily. "You've found ways to trigger Alice's visions, as well as to confuse them?" he asked. Again, she nodded. "And your feelings for Alice allowed you to project your shield onto her, as a form of protection?"

"I suppose so," she answered, he eyes narrowing as she contemplated this.

"Miraculous. The two of them working together in synergy," Aro whispered, staring up at the ceiling. "So tell me," he continued, facing her again. "What did Jane's attack feel like to you?"

I realized what he was planning to do. I almost wanted to warn him. The anger Bella was experiencing wouldn't be good when she was stronger than all of us, and making Alice suffer was a sure way to make her angrier.

"It tickled," she deadpanned. I could see that she was concerned. Something about the way Aro was looking at her was making her nervous.

He laughed. "My, my, you _are _brave." He looked over to Jane. "Hmm, I wonder…is it possible for you to project your shield without touching her?"

She was surprised. So was I. "I-I don't know," she answered, hesitating for the first time.

Aro smiled down at her. "Let us find out then."

"No, don't," Alice whimpered. I saw a flash of her writhing on the ground in agony before I had to rush to grab Bella. Somehow, she'd predicted what would happen. Emmett was right; there was something off about her. That, however, didn't stop me from relishing in the heat of her human body as I pressed her against my chest. I saw her horror through dozens of eyes.

Alice screamed, and Bella reacted as if she was the one in pain. She shut her eyes, unable to stand the sight of her friend in pain…and then Alice stopped screaming.

Even her mind quieted, and for a moment, I thought that the pain had made her pass out. But no, she was still conscious and sobbing on the floor. Jasper sent out a wave of calm to help her relax, but she was too far gone.

Aro laughed gleefully and put his hand on her shoulder. I released her and she stood there, shaking with anger. I couldn't help but compare her to a tigress defending her cub. I was surprised she hadn't tried to scratch my eyes out yet.

"That was _magnificent_! I can hardly wait to see what you can do when you are one of us," Aro said.

She didn't respond. I saw her eyes unfocus as she looked at Alice. I wondered what she was seeing, and remembered how she described her shield as a layer of light.

I leaned in closer to her. "Do you have something to say to me, Bella?"

"Go to hell," she snarled, refusing to look at me. Her hands shook and I sensed her desire to hit me. That would be funny. She'd probably break her hand.

I chuckled. "You already said that. Can't you be a little more creative?"

She took a slow breath through her teeth. "Well, I was going to tell you to go screw yourself, but from what Emmett said, you were probably going to be doing that anyway."

Several of the others in the Guard broke out into startled laughter before falling silent as I glared at them. I felt a rush of anger that I had allowed her to embarrass me and Aro had to hold me back. He gestured for her to go back to Alice and she hurried over without looking back.

"Master," I whispered as he stared after her. He looked at me and I held out my hand, hardly able to hide my smile. Aro took my hand with some confusion.

The confusion soon cleared as he realized what I wanted. I saw Alice and Bella turn to look at us.

"Really, Edward? I never thought I'd live to see the day." He released my hand. "Of course, it will be quite difficult to convince her, but you'll have plenty of time to work on it. And you _do _deserve a reward for a job well done." He looked over at Bella. "And she _is _quite pretty. She'll be stunning as a vampire, but still, she doesn't seem to return your affections."

"I'm sure I can convince her," I said. I looked at her. For all her perceptiveness, she seemed completely confused by the exchange.

Alice, on the other hand, was quite aware. She tightened her grip on Bella's waist. "It won't work. It won't work. She'll never love you."

_Love?_ Esme thought hopefully. _Edward?_

Bella's reaction was less optimistic. Her mouth dropped open comically and her face went even paler. She shook her head subtly; probably not even aware she was doing it.

I flicked next to them and crouched down at eyelevel. "Your visions aren't always correct, Alice," I admonished. "All she has to do is make a decision, and the future will change." I grinned at Bella. "Isn't that right, Bella?" I asked, remembering that she was the one who had figured this out.

"It won't work," Alice stubbornly repeated.

I felt my irritation rise and I pulled Bella to her feet. She gasped as vertigo hit and I heard only a second of Alice's thoughts before they cut off. Bella could still control her shield. That was interesting.

"I'd like to do this privately if I may, Master," I requested.

Aro nodded, still smiling. _Do try not to lose control, Edward. I have big plans for both of them._

"Oh," I paused, remembering something. "and Jasper wants the psychic. I don't really think he deserves her, but it's not really my decision." Nor did I particularly care what happened to Alice. The girl could rot in the lower levels for all I cared, as long as I had Bella.

Bella looked at Jasper in horror. I saw a flash of guilt in his expression before he allowed his training as a soldier to take over. He let his face go blank. Alice curled up into a ball and began to rock back and forth, perhaps seeing something to do with her new fate.

Aro tapped his lips again, contemplating. _She does smell good, and it's been a while since I have had human blood fresh from the vein, but Jasper does seem protective of her. He'll be less likely to kill the poor girl by accident._

"I'm sure we can work something out," he said finally.

I nodded and dragged Bella to the doors. She twisted around, not fighting me, but trying to get a glimpse of Alice. I saw her expression of concentration before the guards shut the doors behind us.

I picked Bella up and held her against my chest, relishing in the foreign heat. "Hold on," I whispered. She shuddered but gripped me tightly as I ran through the halls to my room.

I stopped too quickly and she staggered as I set her down. I used the opportunity to clutch her against me. I opened the door and pushed her inside. She seemed dazed as she looked around the room. I locked the door behind us.

Her heart began to pound in fear. I turned around and saw her sharp eyes darting around the room, looking for a way to escape. She was sorely disappointed. I smiled. "I apologize for the spontaneous change of scenery, but a few of the others were having some rather," I shook my head and chuckled, "inappropriate thoughts about you."

She shuddered.

I waited for her to make some cutting remark to me, but she seemed speechless. It was a nice change.

I took a step towards her and she took a step back. My eyes narrowed and I rushed to stand in front of her. She flinched back and nearly toppled over, much to my amusement. I reached out and grabbed her arms to hold her up. I smiled, and dragged her to the couch faster than she could blink. I pushed her down and crawled over her, holding her down.

Right about now, a normal girl would start to cry, but Bella resisted. I brought my face up to hers and stared into her beautiful brown eyes. Felix was right. They _were_ innocent. I began to stroke her right cheek with the back of my hand. The contact made sparks of electricity shoot up my arm. "You have no idea how much I've wanted to do this."

Bella spat at me.

I pulled away from her and wiped my face off with my sleeve. I felt her try to wiggle free, grunting as she tried to loosen my grip. I kept one hand on her shoulder. "I think I can find something much more enjoyable for your mouth to do," I said, smirking down at her.

Oh, yes. I was going to have a lot of fun with her.

"You're disgusting!" she yelled, intent on fighting back even though she knew it was useless. "Despicable! I hate you! You-" I had enough of her talking and allowed myself to kiss her. Her ranting cut off with a muffled scream. She sobbed and her mouth opened slightly.

My tongue slipped in between her lips and I felt her try to bite me. I growled and placed my hand over her hip. I ran my tongue along the inside of her mouth, the taste making me want to moan.

Bella gagged and tried to turn her head away. I pressed down harder and held her still. She placed her hands on my chest, and tried to push me away. She was too weak, of course. The pressure actually felt nice.

Finally, I pulled away, aware that she still needed to breath, and also aware that if I kept going, I wouldn't be satisfied with just a kiss. "You're so warm," I moaned.

I saw that she had started to cry and brought my mouth up to taste the salty tears on her cheeks.

"So soft." I brought my mouth down to her throat and ran my tongue along her pulse point. Her heart was racing so face and she couldn't stop shaking.

"And you're all mine."

I opened my mouth and let my teeth saturate with venom. I gripped her tightly as I sunk my teeth into her throat. She screamed as I cut through her skin, but cut herself off and whimpered softly. She tasted like heaven. I groaned in agony as I released her throat. She was still shaking and now her eyes were clenched shut. I picked her up and prepared to take her down to the lower levels.

Soon, she would be mine forever.

-

This is so much easier to write than my other stuff, especially since most of this was already written. I hope it made sense. I'm tired. I have school tomorrow. I'll see you guys later.


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